ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. scale — in music
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. pit — in a race
  5. kid — child
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. fall — the season
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. scale — size or range
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. kid — to tease
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. scale — for weighing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com